Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV

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Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV
機甲艦隊ダイラガーＸＶ (Kikō Kantai Dairagā Fifutīn)
Genre	Mecha
TV anime
Director	Kozo Morishita
Studio	Toei Animation
Network	TV Tokyo TVB
Original run	3 March 1982 – 23 March 1983
Episodes	52

Kikou Kantai Dairugger XV (機甲艦隊ダイラガーXV, Kikō Kantai Dairagā Fifutīn^?) was an anime series aired in Japan from 1982. It is also referred to as "Dairugger 15," "Dairugger XV," "Armored Fleet Dairugger XV," "Armored Armada Dairugger XV," "Armored Squadron Dairugger XV," or "Machine Platoon Dairugger." In the United States, it was changed considerably, and became part of the Voltron series, under the name "Vehicle Voltron."

Contents 1 Original Story 2 Concept 3 Staff 4 Characters 4.1 Dairugger Characters 4.2 Other Characters 5 Dairugger Specifications 6 Merchandise 7 Comics 8 Screenshots 9 Differences with the Japanese and American Versions 10 Trivia 11 References 12 External links

[edit] Original Story

In the original storyline as aired in Japan, Dairugger XV was simply an exploration robot, as well as an intended peace-keeping force. The Earth is in a time of prosperity. The president of the Terran League (the "Galaxy Alliance" in Voltron) launches a mission to explore beyond the galaxy. After commencing its mission of exploration, the starship Rugger-Guard is attacked by a ship of the Galbeston Empire. Dairugger, the super robot, is deployed in order to defend the Earth. It is somewhat by fate that they must help the people of Galbeston find a new planet before it explodes, and liberate it from its despotic Emperor. In the Japanese version, it does not have anything to do with King of the Beasts GoLion, as opposed to the U.S. version, Voltron: Defender of the Universe.

[edit] Concept

There are three assault team units: Land, Air, and Sea. There are a total of 15 parts referred to as "Rugger," which can combine together to form the super-robot Dairugger. The design of the 15 separate Rugger units came from the sport of rugby, since 15 players are required to form a rugby union.^[1] The U.S. version would rename the "Galbeston Empire" to "Drule Empire," along with editing a fair amount of violence and sexual content^{[citation needed]} to keep the show safe for general audience broadcast.

At the time of Dairugger XV's screenwriting and original design, there was no intended plan to merge it with what eventually became Voltron. In fact, World Events Productions' original plan was to buy the rights to two other Japanese series — Lightspeed ElectroGod Albegas as "Voltron II," and the older 1979 Future Robo Daltanius as "Voltron III." The plan never materialized, and Dairugger was the only show left to be adapted into the Voltron universe.

[edit] Staff

• Planning
  Susumu Yoshikawa
  Yasuo Nobe
  Yu Saito
• Original concept
  Saburo Yatsude
• Chief Director
  Kozo Morishita
• Series Composition
  Keisuke Fujikawa
• Script
  Keisuke Fujikawa
• Character Design
  Shigetaka Aoyama
• Music
  Seiji Yokoyama
• Production
  Toei
  Toei Agency

[edit] Characters

[edit] Dairugger Characters

Air Team uniforms were dark blue and white.

Sea Team uniforms were navy blue and aqua.

Land Team uniforms were white and red.

Function	Japanese Name	Seiyū	English Name	Team	Vehicle	Dairugger Body
Rugger #1 Pilot	Manabu Aki	Toshio Furukawa	Jeff Dukane	Air Team	Command Jet Explorer	head
Rugger #2 Pilot	Shinobu Kai	Ryōma Yamamoto	Rocky	Air Team	Strato Weapons Module	upper torso
Rugger #3 Pilot	Shota Kreuz	Kōzō Shioya	Wolo	Air Team	Advanced Recon Helicopter	right upper arm
Rugger #4 Pilot	Yasuo Mutsu	Satomi Majima	Chip Stoker	Air Team	Advanced Recon Helicopter	left upper arm
Rugger #5 Pilot	Patty Ellington	Keiko Han	Ginger	Air Team	Falcon VT Fighter	chest plate
Rugger #6 Pilot	Miranda Keets	Hideyuki Hori	Cric	Sea Team	Communications Module	hips
Rugger #7 Pilot	Haruka Kaga	Harumi Iizuka	Lisa	Sea Team	Space Prober	right thigh
Rugger #8 Pilot	Saruta Katz	Masaharu Satō	Tagor	Sea Team	Space Prober	left thigh
Rugger #9 Pilot	Tatsuo Izumo	Shō Hayami	Shannon	Sea Team	Multi-Wheeled Explorer	right lower leg
Rugger #10 Pilot	Baros Karateya	Ken Yamaguchi	Zandee	Sea Team	Multi-Wheeled Explorer	left lower leg
Rugger #11 Pilot	Walter Jack	Katsuji Mori	Cliff	Land Team	Jet Radar Station	torso mid-rif
Rugger #12 Pilot	Moya Kirigas	Nana Yamaguchi	Cinda	Land Team	Rotating Personnel Carrier	right forearm
Rugger #13 Pilot	Mack Chakker	Banjō Ginga	Modoch	Land Team	Armored Equipment Carrier	left forearm
Rugger #14 Pilot	Tasuku Izu	Shingo Hiromori	Marvin	Land Team	All-Terrain Space Vehicle	right foot
Rugger #15 Pilot	Kazuto Nagato	Hiroshi Ōtake	Hutch	Land Team	All-Terrain Space Vehicle	left foot

[edit] Other Characters

Japanese Name	Seiyū	English Name	Voices by
Jinji Ise	Hideyuki Tanaka	Commander James Hawkins	Peter Cullen
High Commander Wasaka		Space Marshal Graham
		Commander Steele
Dick Asimov	Kōji Yada	Captain Newley
Doctor Fatch		Professor Page
Telesu	Kōji Totani	Enemy Commander Hazar
Dorick		Enemy Officer Mongo
Internal Commissioner Sokuratto Tes		Chancellor Mozak
Saku		Dorma
Brak		Bakki
Rocket		Captain Nerok
		Marshal Keezor
Commander Caponello Soushin		Viceroy Throk
Emperor Conseillu		Emperor Zeppo

[edit] Dairugger Specifications

Dairugger is made up of 15 vehicle parts. Dairugger is 60 meters tall.

• Weapons
  • Laser Sword
  • Spinning Laser Blades
  • Electromagnetic Whip
  • Electromagnetic Beam
  • Laser Blasts
  • Laser Lance
  • Electromagnetic Cross

[edit] Merchandise

In the early 1980s, the original ST Dairugger toys were released by Popy Pleasure under the toy release number of GB-72, as part of the Chogokin label, and constructed of high-quality die-cast materials. A GB-73 would follow, with a transforming DX Dairugger, which could separate only into the three larger combined vehicles. A larger version of Dairugger XV was also released, which did not contain die-cast materials, as the metal content was too heavy for the design and for the Friction motors installed in many of the vehicles. The smallest non-transforming ST Dairugger and the fully-transforming plastic Dairugger XV would be resold in the US as part of the Voltron series by Matchbox, entirely under the Voltron name. However, the Popy version came with a sword, missiles, and stickers that the Matchbox version did not.

Due to the fact that Dairugger had 15 pieces, and was a highly playable figure compared to many of the other fixed-state super robots of the early '80s, there were countless imitations and bootlegs of Dairugger. Some are cheap plastics, some do not assemble well, some have neon-glowing colors that are completely misaligned with the show. Even approved brands such as "Big Bear" were spawned to rejuvenate the toyline.^[2] No version, however, is identical in quality, packaging, and comes with all the pieces like the Japanese original.

[edit] Comics

In the recent comic by Image Comics and Devil's Due Publishing, this particular Voltron came about through the capture and study of the original Lion Voltron. Thus, while machines cannot truly be cloned, this Voltron could be considered an imperfect clone of the first Arusian Voltron. The machine was referred to in one issue as V-15, and was actually attacked by the Lion Voltron in order to repair itself. Unlike in the animated series, which only had two crossovers with the Lion Force (once at the end of the Lion Force run, and the other in the "Fleet of Doom" special, which brought both Voltrons together), and in which the two Voltron Forces were longstanding friends, the comics depicted Keith and Jeff having an antagonistic relationship with one another, particularly in regards to Lion Voltron's supposed "sneak attack" on the Vehicle Voltron.

The "Galaxy Alliance" part of the Voltron storyline comes from this show. In GoLion (the first part of Voltron), there never was any "Galaxy Alliance" — the Earth had been destroyed during World War III, in the year 1999 A.D.

[edit] Screenshots

Air Team

Aqua Team

Land Team

[edit] Differences with the Japanese and American Versions

In the re-released U.S. version, the plotline was adapted to the Voltron universe. After the successful expedition to Planet Arus in the Far Universe during the early episodes of the Lion Force (a.k.a., "Voltron III") series, Voltron technology was brought back to Earth in order to aid the Galaxy Alliance in its ongoing war with the Drule Empire. The Alliance's home planets have become vastly overcrowded, and a fleet of explorers have been sent to search out new planets to colonize in the Near Universe. Along the way, they attract the attention of the evil Drules, who proceed to interfere with the explorers and the colonists, eventually carrying the war all the way back to Earth itself. Since the Voltron of Planet Arus is too far away to help the new explorer force, a totally new Voltron is constructed to battle the Drule threat.

• Dairugger XV and GoLion are not related shows, in contrast to the U.S. version. The Galaxy Alliance only exists in Dairugger XV in the Japanese, since Earth in GoLion is destroyed in a thermonuclear war.
• The Drule Empire in the Japanese version is not connected to the Planet Doom from the American Voltron adaptation.
• Many of the allied and enemy force members did indeed die in the original Dairugger, as opposed to disappearing without any explanation in the U.S. Voltron series. The finale of Dairugger XV was different in its Voltron form — the U.S. footage had no depiction of Emperor Zeppo's true fate, which left a lot of questions for U.S. viewers (although one shot of Zeppo dead on the throne remained intact). The scene of Emperor Zeppo's death was cut out due to violence, perishing in an assassination attempt by Hazar and the Drules, who want freedom for their people. His death was similar to the bloody nature of Emperor Zanbazir's in Voltes V.
• In the Japanese version, Hazar dies a martyr, and there is a sad scene where Hazar's body is left to die on Drule at his request. Hazar does not become the new leader of the new Drule people after all, but rather, his sister Dorma; the series ending where the Drules are finally at peace. This is highly referential to the ending in Daimos, where Erika, not Richter, becomes the new leader. The flames that engulf him are similar to Prince Heinel's redeemed death in Voltes V.
• Pidge (Hiroshi from Golion) and Chip are not brothers, in contrast to the U.S. version.
• Aki (Jeff) and Haruka (Lisa) have a serious relationship in the show. The same lucky charm that Lisa gave to Jeff dies with Hazar.

[edit] Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Dairugger is 60 meters tall, and weighs 150 tons.
• Dairugger may have been proposed to be named "Voltes XV," but it sounded too redundant.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Dairugger XV Uncut Scenes and Comparison